Page 4 of Into The Darkness

Surprisingly, there were even apartment buildings scattered throughout that looked modern compared to the old worn academic buildings. The town center hosted a few cozy restaurants and quaint businesses. It reminded me of a cross between something you would see in a Hallmark movie and a horror film.

The smell always entranced me. The fresh scent of pine trees mixed with the earthy aroma of damp soil created a natural perfume that lingered in the air. There was also a distinct scent of old books that wafted from the library. The esteemed library was one of the only reasons someone like me, who wanted to study English, would be obsessed with the highest-rated program in the entire country.

Ultimately, it was the academics and the writing program which helped me convince Dad and Walsh it was the most perfect place for me. Since I was adamant on not wanting security around, Dad agreed Walsh was able to do that job.

I snapped back to reality as we descended toward the first large stone archway welcoming us to Isles.

“I still don’t get it, Walsh,” I added to whatever conversation my dad was going on about. “You love it here. You barely come home and visit us. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want me to be here.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I had to adjust because my pesky boobs always seemed to be in the way. With my Sicilian looks, I was a carbon copy of my late mother. My black hair was long and laid straight down my back. I had thick lips, brown eyes, and curves for days but hated them, so I hid them with baggy clothes.

But I got my dad’s brains. He was now a businessman, but he told me when he first met my mother, he was a poet. He claimed it was how he won over her affection.

Walsh spun around in his seat. “Because you are my little sister and I care about you. Isles . . .” My dad shot him a glare. “What I mean, is that college in general can be really dangerous, so you need to be careful.”

“You have your brother to watch your back,” my dad said. That was true, but Dad’s business partners often came to Isles to check on the Alpha house, which meant they would check on me from time to time, too. In our world, family always protected and looked out for family.

We drove through the archway and pulled up to the apartment building I scored instead of having to live in the dorms. I assumed I’d bypassed living there because of my family’s status or my dad’s amazing bribery skills, and my dad came home and told me it was the only way he would allow me to go.

Cool, I didn’t want to share a bathroom with an entire floor of girls who would eventually sync up and be on their periods at the same time. Jokes on him.

“Yeah.” I lamented but was grateful Walsh was on the other side of town in the mountains where his fraternity, the Alphas, was. Since it was his senior year, and, according to Walsh, seniors ruled the frat, he said he would do his best to keep an eye on me, but I needed to look out for myself, too.

“You aren’t in Kansas anymore, Dorothy,” I mumbled to myself as the sprawling buildings came into sight from behind the dense fog.

Into the darkness I’ll go, and into the light I’ll be.

“Plus, princess, you know the one rule.” My dad pulled into the underground parking where my red Civic was already waiting.

As he put the car into park, my brother and dad stared back at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever you do, stay away from—”

“The Den,” we all said in unison before I opened the car door and ran over to my old Civic.

It was the rival fraternity to my brother’s. I’d heard about the Den from my father and what I’d eavesdropped on in the past. From what I gathered, Dad’s archnemesis in his business was also connected to the Den, or his son was. I didn’treallysee the connection; I just knew it was a place I needed to avoid and the one caveat Dad gave me about school. If I was caught at the Den, he would pull me immediately.

“I don’t know why you won’t let Dad get you a new car,” Walsh grumbled as they grabbed my suitcases from the back.

“I like that I bought it with the money I saved from working,” I muttered. Most of my afternoons were spent working after school in a local indie bookstore back where we lived in the city of Dansport. I didn’t like spending Dad’s money and hated feeling like I came from a privileged background. Dad instilled in me to work hard and become independent. He didn’t want me to become what my cousins and aunts all had. They dropped out of high school, found their husbands early, and spent most days gossiping.

I’ll never forget when my cousin Lucia came to our house crying because she found out her husband was cheating on her, and when she confronted him, he took her allowance away. While Dad told Lucia that this conversation wasn’t meant for teenagers, she pulled me aside and told me I needed to make sure I never let anyone control my finances.

Dansport was the total opposite of what Isles was. It was modern, bustling, and full of people all living on top of each other. Isles was a slower paced town, and whenever I came to visit with Walsh, there was something that drew me to the quiet lifestyle.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said when he grabbed the last of my bags. It was weird to see your entire life packaged up in a few suitcases and overnight bags.

Eh, was it though?I was always an introvert throughout school, but my senior year, it somehow became worse. I became a recluse, only going to school, work, then back home to read. In school, I had only one good friend, but she and I connected mostly because of the classes we took and realized once school was done that we didn’t have anything else to talk about.

I guess that’s what was nice about coming here: it truly was a fresh start for me.

We walked through the concrete underground garage and hit the button on the elevator. My dad grumbled something about wishing there was a doorman in this building, so I reminded him this wasn’t Dansport and I was going to be okay living on my own. In fact, I was excited for it. The prospect of being able to have a little more freedom than I’d had growing up sent a thrill of excitement through my veins.

“We live outside the city center, though, and still have a doorman,” he complained just as the door opened, and Walsh piled all my suitcases inside. It was funny how much Walsh and I looked alike. Even as kids, we were told if he grew out his hair, we might look like twins. Our dad, on the other hand, always looked like the oddball with his bright-blond hair and muted features.

“What if I told Carlo to come here?” my dad asked my brother. Carlo was my dad’s bodyguard. Oh, I forgot to mention my family was involved in the stock trading business, which could lead to very annoyed clients, or so my dad said. He did well for himself and took over our grandfather’s business after my mom passed away, pushing aside any dream of poetry, and becoming a businessman almost overnight. We were doing well.

Honestly, more than well. Our lavish home was filled with luxury: three butlers, two chefs, several nannies during our younger years, a housekeeper, gardener, and even a florist responsible for the weekly fresh bouquets adorning our entrance. The estate was secured with vigilant guards stationed at each of the three gates and others patrolling the grounds. It was a life of privilege and wealth, but it also came with its own set of challenges. It meant I could never be alone . . . ever. Thus, the lack of friends.

“Do not tell Carlo to come,” I whined. It was part of the deal I made with my brother and dad. There were to be no bodyguards in Isles. I wanted to come out here and find a version of myself I loved because, in all honesty, I hadn’t loved myself in a while.

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